Ski pants



March 12, 1968 A. K. KAUFMANN 3,372,402

SKI PANTS Filed Nov. 25, 1965 INVENTOR.

ADAM H HAU FM AN N.

ATT-O RNEY United States Patent 3,372,402 SKI PANTS Adam K. Kaufmann, Camillus, N.Y. Little Europe Ski Shop, Oran, N.Y. 13125) Filed Nov. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 509,397 1 Claim. (Cl. 2-232) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Ski pants, comprised of lengthwise stretch fabric substantially non-resilient circumferentially, the leg portions being adapted to fit the contour of a wearers leg and ankle and having a closed heel and a frontal opening through which the wearers foot forward of the arch may project, the leg portion at its lower end, and front center having a slide fastener extending from the opening upwardly along the front center of the leg portion to a level where the circumference of the leg portion is sufficient to permit the passage of a wearers heel and ankle, the slide fastener being separable at its lower end and closed by movement of a connector slide upwardly from the lower end.

This invention relates to ski pants, and more particularly to ski pants adapted for close fit at the lower ankle region.

Ski pants of stretch material for close fit have presented a problem in the ankle region, since in order to provide circumferential girth, sufficient to pass the foot through, either the close fit must be dispensed with, or means provided for temporary circumferential enlargement, to pass the foot. The problem is particularly difficult when the stretch material is of the type that stretches lengthwise only, such material being preferable since, while circumferential close fit is desired, circumferential stretch to secure such fit is to be avoided.

The present invention is directed to ski pants wherein the fabric has lengthwise stretch, and in which the lower end of each pant leg is provided with a closed heel, and in which access for passing the foot in and out of the leg is had by securing the lower six inches or so of the pant leg closed by a slide fastener of the type wherein the slide is uppermost when the slide fastener is closed, and in which the slide fastener is located in front and opposite the heel. Not only does the construction provide ready access for the foot to pass through, while providing close fit upon closing the slide fastener, but the structure in addition, when the slide fastener is opened, permits the wearer to remove the pant heel to relieve the stretch fabric tension and the tendency to cause bagginess at the knee due to such tension, as when the wearer is riding in a car, or seated in a lodge or the like. Furthermore, the front opening provided by the slide fastener permits tucking of the lower portion of the pant leg upwardly within the leg portion just above the ankle to provide a neat appearance.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes of illustration only and are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claim.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of the lower portion of a pair of ski pants, shaped out approximately as when worn under vertical stress;

Patented Mar. 12, 1968 FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the ski pants as shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side view showing one pant leg opened at the lower end with the wearers heel removed from the pant heel, and

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the ski pant with the lower end tucked up within the calf portion of the pant leg.

In the drawings, in FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown the lower portion of a pair of ski pants, comprising fitting leg portions 20 and 22, each of which may have a side seam 24, and a fitted closed heel embracing portion 26, open at the front as at 28 to closely embrace the instep of the foot. Such opening may lie substantially in a plane, which would be substantially vertically disposed when worn in a standing position. Each leg portion is preferably constructed from stretch fabric, exhibiting elasticity in one direction only, the fabric being so arranged as to provide vertical stretch, as between the heel embracing portion and the waistband of the pants.

Since, in a fitted pant leg, the portion of the front leg fitting around the shank of the foot, at or just above the ankle, is too small to permit the passage of the ankle heel portion of the foot, some provision for permitting the lower portion of the pant leg to open up in a convenient manner is necessary. For this purpose, the lower portion of the pant leg, from a point where the calf circumference approximates the ankle heel circumference, is provided with a vertically extending slide fastener 38 located in the center front of each pant leg, the slide fastener being in alignment with the front crease 40 as may be provided in the pant leg. In general the length of slide fastener necessary would be in the order of six inches.

The connectable and disconnectable portions of the slide fastener, are provided with a connector slide 42 which when moved to the upper end of the slide fastener, closes or connects the connectable portions 44 and 46 along their entire length. The lower end of one of the connectable portion 44 is provided with a lateral telescopic sleeve 48, adapted to slidingly receive a pin portion 50 at the end of the lower end of the other conne-ctable portion 46, such pin portion being insertable through the slide connector and the sleeve 48 to join the lower ends, and suitably locate the connectable portions 44 and 46 relative to one another, so that by movement of the connector slide from bottom to top, the slide fastener is closed.

By arranging the slide fastener in this manner, it will be seen that only the sleeve and pin of the slide fastener are at the lower end thereof. Such parts have a relatively insignificant cross section commensurate with the relatively unnoticeable cross section of the slide fastener parts when joined, so that when a boot is laced up over the connected sleeve and pin, there is no bulge, or discomfort from the sleeve and pin. The operator or connector slide, which is provided with a finger tab, if laced up within a boot, would create an uncomfortable condition. Hence, by employing a slide fastener that is separable at the lower end and closed by moving the slide connector to the upper end, the connector slide is located at the upper end, and out of the boot when the slide fastener is closed. By so arranging the slide fastener, the pin and sleeve cannot pull apart at the lower end. On the other hand, were the slide to be located at the lower end, when the fastener was closed, the connector slide, within a boot, could work its way upward. In such a location, to reclose the slide fastener, would require unlacing of the boot for access.

Through the arrangement of the slide fastener in the manner described, so as to close on upward movement, a more natural manual operation is provided, since the reach distance is reduced as closure is completed.

By providing the slide fastener in the center front, and opposite the closed heel portion of the pant leg, the tension of the elastic fabric may be readily relieved, in a relatively trim manner by opening the slide fastener, disconnecting the lower sleeve and pin end, and removing the wearers heel from the closed pant leg heel, substantially in the manner as shown in FIGURE 3. When the tension is relieved in this manner, the wearer may sit with knees bent as while riding in a vehicle or relaxing at a ski lodge, without creating bagginess at the knee. Any bagginess which might be created by not relieving the tension, although temporary due to the nature of the fabric, would for a time, create an ill-kept appearance when the wearer is in the standing or erect position, and the pants returned to the stretch condition preparatory to skiing.

If desired the lower portion of the pant legs may be folded up inside behind the calf of the leg as indicated at 70 in FIGURE 4, in a neat manner due to the front location of the slide fastener.

In practice the material of which the pants are constructed may be latex stretch fabric comprised of about 58% wool and 42% nylon or Helanca stretch nylon, the stretch nylon extending predominantly lengthwise of the pant leg.

While a single form of the invention has been illustrated and described, and variations indicated, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claim for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In ski pants, a leg portion comprised of stretch fabric resilient lengthwise and substantially non-resilient circumference-wise, said leg portion closely fitting the contour of a wearers leg, and having a closed heel at the lower end, and being provided with a frontal opening lying substantially in a vertical plane, and through which opening the wearers foot forward of the arch may project, said leg portion at the front center of the lower end having connectable portions separable upwardly along the front center to a level where the circumference of the leg portion is sufficient to permit the passage of the wearers heel and ankle, and a slide fastener extending from the said opening upwardly along the front center of the leg portion to said level, the circumference of the leg portion bu low said level being insufficient to permit the passage of a wearers heel and ankle when the slide fastener is closed, said slide fastener being of the type having two connectable portions that are closed by movement of a connector slide upwardly from the opening end, and in which the connectable portions at the opening end are provided with a detachable pin and socket connection for complete separation or fixed connection of the connectable portions at the lower end.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,066,881 7/ 1913 Breslin 2-228 FOREIGN PATENTS 77,215 12/1961 France. 1,022,496 12/1952 France. 1,178,920 12/1958 France. 1,289,632 2/1962 France.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

H. HAMPTON HUNTER, Examiner. 

